Earthfall

Earthfall by Mark Walden - 2012

Blurb ... 'Sam wakes to see strange vessels gathered in the skies around London. As he stares up, people stream past, walking silently towards the enormous ships which emit a persistent noise. Only Sam seems immune to the signal. Six months later, Sam is absolutely alone. In his underground bunker he has food and water for a couple of days. He has no choice but to venture above. Spotted by a flying drone, Sam escapes, but not before the drone slashes him with a barbed tendril. That night, drenched in sweat, Sam realises without medical supplies the wound will kill him. This time above ground he is less lucky. Cornered again, Sam thinks he has reached the end - then the drone is shot down in a hail of machine gun fire. In five minutes Sam learns two things: he is not alone; the drone injury should have killed him instantly - yet he is still alive. The battle for earth is about to begin' - website

Gray wolves series

Grey wolves series by Quinn Loftis

Prince of wolves (Book 1) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'Jaque Pierce was just an ordinary 17 year old girl getting ready to start her senior year in high school in Coldspring, Texas. When a mysterious foreign exchange student from Romania moves in across the street, Jacque and her two best friends, Sally and Jen, don't realize the last two weeks of their summer was going to get a lot more interesting. From the moment Jacque sets eyes on Fane she feels an instant connection, a pull like a moth to a flame. Little does she know that the flame she is drawn to is actually a Canis lupis, werewolf, and she just happens to be his mate; the other half of his soul. The problem is Fane is not the only wolf in Coldspring, Texas. Just as Fane and Jacque are getting to know each other, another wolf steps out to try and claim Jacque as his mate. Fane will now have to fight for the right to complete the mating bond, something that is his right by birth but is being denied him by a crazed Alpha. Will the love Fane has for Jacque be enough to give him the strength to defeat his enemy, will Jacque accept that she is Fane's mate and complete the bond between them? - website

Blood rites (Book 2) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'With the challenge complete and the corrupt Alpha of Coldspring defeated Fane is now free to complete the mate bond with Jacque and perform the Blood Rites. Although the challenge is done, the affects are far reaching. Once it is known that Vasile, one of the strongest Alphas in the world is in America, specifically Coldspring, TX, there is one Alpha who cannot over look the significance of this. An Alpha who happens to share Jacque's DNA, but is this the one she needs to fear?

With her mom driving and her two best friends, Jen and Sally in tow, Jacque sets off for her happily ever after. She will soon realize a plan has been put in motion that will change her course and possibly tear her from Fane's grasp forever. It will take a wolf pack, her mother's love, her two best friend's unrelenting determination, her own will to survive and the undying love of her mate to bring her home. The question remains, if she fights, if she endures, who will she be, what will be left once she is back in her mates arms?' - website

Just one drop (Book 3) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'Jennifer Adams, best friend to Jacque Pierce and Sally Morgan, spicy, out spoken, a little crazy and human...or so she thought. Jen has just found out that human DNA is not the only thing that resides in her veins, she happens to share that little pesky werewolf gene, although it isn't more than just a drop. Now that she and her friends are living in Romania with Fane's pack, she is also oh so conveniently stuck with the object of her affection, the fur ball Decebel.

Drawn to each other by something they don't understand Jen finds herself frustrated by the lack of mating signs between her and said fur ball. Not only is she dealing with that not so un-frustrating problem, she now has been informed that because of that little drop of werewolf blood in her she is now required to attended a multi-pack gathering for un-mated wolves. This type of gathering hasn't taken place in over a century but with a shortage of females among the werewolf population the males are getting worried they won't ever find their true mates.

Meanwhile Decebel struggles with the emotions he is feeling towards Jen. He tries to keep his distance but there is just something about the mouthy blonde that keeps him coming back for more of her verbal abuse that he just can't seem to get enough of...go figure' - website

Out of the dark (Book 4) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'Darkness has descended on the Transylvanian Alps.
Four packs of the powerful Grey wolves – in a rare show of cooperation – had joined together here in an effort to help their pack members find true mates. Then they were betrayed by one of their own – an Alpha hell-bent on becoming the most powerful of the Canis lupis. And though the wolf's assassination attempt on the currently-reigning Romanian Alpha failed, his plans to get Decebel, the Romanian Beta, out of the picture were coming together even as his treachery was discovered. The wolf fled, leaving destruction, death, and a missing mate behind him.

Unbeknownst to the other packs, the wolf has employed a witch to finish the deadly job and help him gain another tool to increase his power. A curse of devastating proportions will cripple Decebel in a way that may dissolve his fragile bond with Jennifer. Meanwhile, injured and alone, Jen has been fighting for her life. She had come to terms with her fate, accepting that she would not share a life with Decebel, until help came in the most unexpected form...

Vasile will have to use all his resources – including Sally, the new gypsy healer of the Romanian pack – to discover a way in which to destroy the witch, lift the curse from Decebel and reunite him with the one woman who makes him whole, and solve a mystery that's been surrounding the Romanian pack for 300 years.' - website

Beyond the veil (Book 5) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'Though the Serbian pack has been brought to heel thanks to the downfall of their Alpha, the war is far from over.
Desdemona, a witch of unfathomable power, has escaped the wolves’ wrath, but she will not go quietly into the night. She takes refuge in a place where even the smallest sliver of light does not dare to enter. Though she had to flee, she has not given up on the treasure she wishes to acquire. Her depravity knows no bounds; she's even willing to search for the one who can assist her in opening a Veil that has not been opened in millennia – with good reason: the danger is incalculable.

Meanwhile, there are major changes rippling through the Romanian Grey wolves. Decebel has become Alpha to the Serbian pack in an effort to begin to unite the Canis lupis species. Their numbers are dwindling in the wake of the shortage of true mates and lack of offspring. The wolves are beginning to lose faith and darkness seems to be crashing in on them from all sides. But the winds of change are blowing, changes that will alter the future of not only the Canis lupis, but of another ancient race as well.
Amidst all of this, Sally is continuing to come to terms with her relationship with the playful, charming, flirty, unbelievably handsome bartender – who happens to be a member of the Romanian pack.
If all that weren’t enough, the Fates have decided to pay a little visit to Jen. It’s time to collect. She cheated the Fates of a life, her life. Now they want what they are due. The problem? It’s more than Jen is willing to pay.
Yes, the war is indeed far from over. Bargains will be struck, declarations will be made, sacrifices will be given, love will be tested, and trust will be questioned as evil makes its stand against them all' - website

Fate and fury (Book 6) - Kindle

Blurb ... 'The last few days have been the darkest of Sally’s life. After experiencing the joy of finding her mate, she now suffers the pain of losing everything she holds dear. Both the Romanian and Serbian packs have been captured, ripping Sally’s soul mate away from her almost as soon as she had found him. Her best friend and the emotional glue that usually holds Sally together, Jacque Pierce, lies writhing in a restless coma, having been put down by Desdemona’s dark magic. Jennifer Adams, the unshakable one, has revealed to her friends and her mate that she is pregnant, but the Fates have marked her unborn baby for death. Though she rails against the darkness, deep inside Jen knows that Decebel’s baby must die as payment for her own life, and the knowledge is tearing her soul to pieces. Cypher, King of the Warlocks, has claimed Jacque’s mother as his mate and agreed to help Desdemona open a door that would release a horde of demons from beyond the Veil.' - website

The interrogation of Ashala Wolf

The interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina - 2012
Book 1 of The Tribe

Blurb...The Reckoning destroyed civilisation. Rising from the ashes, some people have developed unique abilities, and society is scared of them. Guided by the ancient spirits of the land, Ashala Wolf will do anything to keep them safe. When Ashala is captured, she realises she has been betrayed by someone she trusted. When her interrogator starts digging in her memories for information, she doubts she can protect her people forever. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?

Elemental mysteries series

Elemental mysteries series - Elizabeth Hunter - 2011/2012 - Kindle

Blurb...A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he’d abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

Review: I stumbled across this series the other day. I just bought Book 1 and though I would give it a try. I was so hooked that I am now up to Book 3 and I'm loving it. It ticks all the right boxes for this genre, action, good v's evil, love, history books and throw in a can of whoop arse and you are in for a rollicking good time. What's not to love. I highly recommend this series.

The rise of nine

The rise of nine by Pittacus Lore - 2012

Blurb...'Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.

Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .

I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.

But so are they.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York--but I escaped.
I am Number Six.
They want to finish what they started.
But they'll have to fight us first.' - website

Comments... I have just started this book and am struggling to remember what happened in book 2. Stay tuned.... Well after a few half hearted attempts I have finally finished this book. It did take awhile to get back into the story and then to my great annoyance, each chapter was from the perspective different characters. I'm glad that I stuck with it and as usual the story ended as a cliff hanger grr. No doubt when the next installment comes out I will be going through the same process.

Fixing Delilah

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler - 2011

Blurb...'

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.

She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.

Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?' - website

 

Article 5

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons - 2012

Blurb... New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.
The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.
There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.
Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.
In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs—like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes—and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

Fracture

Fracture by Megan Miranda - 2012

Personal demons

Personal demons by Lisa Desrochers - 2010


Blurb ....

Frannie Cavanaugh has always been a bit of a loner. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance, even her closest friends. That is, until Luc Cain enrolls in her school. He's hot, sarcastic, and dangerous—and Frannie can't seem to stay away.

What she doesn't know is that Luc is on a mission. Because Frannie isn't exactly ordinary. She possesses a skill so unique that the king of Hell himself has taken notice, and he's sent Luc to claim Frannie's soul. It should be easy: All he has to do is get her to sin, and Luc is as tempting as they come.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and he's just started making progress when the angel Gabriel shows up. Gabe will do anything to keep Luc from getting what he came for, and his angelic charm might just be enough to keep Frannie on the right path.

It isn't long before Luc and Gabe find themselves fighting for more than just Frannie's soul. But if Luc fails to win her over, there will be Hell to pay . . . for all of them.

Visit Lisa's site: http://www.lisadwrites.com/

Ashes, ashes

Ashes, ashes by Jo Treggiari - 2011


Blurb ....
Epidemics, floods, droughts–for sixteen-year-old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, taking 99% of the population with it. As the weather continues to rage out of control, and Sweepers clean the streets of plague victims, Lucy survives alone in the wilds of Central Park. But when she’s rescued from a pack of hunting dogs by a mysterious boy named Aidan, she reluctantly realizes she can’t continue on her own. She joins his band of survivors, yet, a new danger awaits her: the Sweepers are looking for her. There’s something special about Lucy, and they will stop at nothing to have her.










Visit Jo's site: http://jotreggiari.com/

All I ever wanted

All I ever wanted by Vickki Wakefield - 2011

Blurb ....

All I Ever Wanted

RULE NUMBER ONE:

I will not turn out like my mother.

Mim wants to be anywhere but home—in a dead suburb and with a mother who won’t get off the couch.

She’s set herself rules to live by, but she’s starting to break them.

In nine days she’ll turn seventeen. What she doesn’t know is that her life is about to change forever. And when it does, the same things will look entirely different.

Visit Vickki's site: http://vikkiwakefield.com/

Inside out series

Inside out (Book 1) - 2010 / Outside in (Book 2) - 2011 by Maria V. Snyder




Inside out Blurb ....
Keep Your Head Down. Don't Get Noticed. Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. One of thousands who work in the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. The Trava family who rules our world from their spacious Upper levels wants us to be docile and obedient, like sheep. To insure we behave, they send the Pop Cops to police us.

So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? Not like it's all that dangerous--the only neck at risk is my own.

Until a lower level prophet claims a Gateway to Outside exists. And guess who he wants to steal into the Upper levels to get the proof? You’re right. Me. I alone know every single duct, pipe, corridor, shortcut, hole and ladder of Inside. It’s suicide plain and simple. But guess who can’t let a challenge like that go unanswered? Right again. Me.

I should have just said no... 


Outside in Blurb ....
Me?? A Leader??
Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion-between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again-while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In. 


Visit Maria's site: http://mariavsnyder.com/index.php

Born at midnight

Born at midnight by C.C. Hunter - 2011


Blurb ...

Kylie Galen has had a lot of crap tossed in her lap lately. Her parents are getting a divorce for who the heck knows why. Her boyfriend broke up with her because she wouldn't put out. And her grandmother died because . . . well, older people do that. But now, Kylie's acquired a stalker and she hasn't a clue what he wants or how to get rid of him . . . and she really wants to get rid of him because apparently she's the only one who sees him. Thinking she may be losing it, her parents send her off to see a psychologist who gets Kylie sent to Shadow Falls Camp. Kylie and her parents think it's a camp for troubled teens.

They thought wrong.

Kylie's surrounded by vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches and shapeshifters. And if she believes what they tell her, she's one of them. They're just not sure exactly how she fits in. As Kylie struggles to cope with the realization that these creatures even exist, and the fact that she might not be human, she's got two hot guys, a werewolf and a half-fairy vying for her attention. And they can just keep vying. Kylie's determined that before she lets her heart loose on love, she needs to unearth the truth. What does the ghost want? Who can and can't she trust? And most of all . . . What is she?

Visit C. C. Hunter's site: http://www.cchunterbooks.com/news.html

Equinox

Equinx by Lara Morgan - 2011
Book two of The Rosie Black chronicles


Blurb ....
It’s Rosie’s seventeenth year and she’s starting her first year at Orbitcorp Academy, but it’s not going to be all parties and pilot training. Helios hasn’t forgotten her – and she certainly hasn’t forgotten them. Bent on revenge Rosie is still working in secret to try to take them down.
But a terrible miscalculation will send Rosie once more on the run, this time into the unknown lands of the north, Gondwana Nation, where word has it Helios is building something big.
There will be a new friend and a new boy – the handsome and wealthy Dalton Curtis – who will surprise Rosie with a secret she can’t begin to guess. And Pip will return, but how does he feel about Rosie, and where has he been?
Pursued again and on the run, Rosie might not have time to find out all the answers, but what she will learn is that a capacity for evil can be equalled by a capacity for good -  and she will be forced to make a choice that will change her future forever.

I really enjoyed reading Genesis (book 1) last year and it took me a couple of chapters into  Equinox to remember who was who again. Once I was on track the book took off and I really enjoyed the ride. It is obvious that there is going to be a third book as to the frustrating ending, but you wonder if Rosie and Pip will end up together or will Dalton make his move?

Visit Lara's site: http://laramorgan.wordpress.com/

Tigers voyage

'Tigers voyage' by  Colleen Huock - 2011
Book 3 of the Tiger Saga


Blurb ....
With the head-to-head battle against the villainous Lokesh behind her, Kelsey confronts a new heartbreak: in the wake of his      traumatic experience, her beloved Ren no longer remembers who she is. As the trio continues their quest by challenging five cunning and duplicitous dragons, Ren and Kishan once more vie for her affections--leaving Kelsey more confused than ever.

I have been waiting for this book to come out thinking that finally the curse would be broken and Ren and Kelsey would finally get together. Boy was I so wrong. This is a whole other journey and I was speechless when at the end of the book I finally realised that there was another one to come, no trilogy. Which means I have to wait another year till the next one is published. NOT HAPPY JAN! 

Visit Colleen's site: http://www.tigerscursebook.com/

Shatter me

'Shatter me' by Tahereh Mafi - 2011

Blurb.....
You can't touch me," I whisper.
I'm lying, is what I don't tell him.
He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him.
But things happen when people touch me.
Strange things.
Bad things.
No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.
But Juliette has plans of her own.
After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.


All I can say is WOW!!!! I really loved this book. It states that it is likened to The hunger games and the X-men and they weren't wrong. What a great concept and I am definately hanging out for the sequel. You are immediately drawn to Juliette. To see her so broken and defeated your heart breaks for her loneliness. Then Adam comes along and her world is turned upside down and Juliette suddenly feels hope for the first time in her life and maybe a little chance of love.


Visit Tahereh's site: http://www.taherehmafi.com/

Thirteen reasons why

Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher - 2007

Blurb ....
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

This is a classic edge of your seat story and just when you think you know what's going on BAM, along comes another scene that leaves you shaking your head. This story takes you on a journey of sorrow, doubt, anger, revenge, heartache and more sorrow yet it leaves you with a little ray of sunshine. This is so powerful on many levels that I would love to see it being introduced as a Year 10 novel. A must read for all.

Visit Jay's site: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/book.php

Shadows on the moon

Shadows on the moon by Zoe Marriott - 2011


Blurb...
On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us. We saw them come, Aimi and me. We were excited, because we did not know how to be frightened. We had never seen soldiers before."
Suzume is a shadow-weaver. She can create mantles of darkness and light, walk unseen in the middle of the day, change her face. She can be anyone she wants to be. Except herself.
Suzume died officially the day the Prince's men accused her father of treason. Now even she is no longer sure of her true identity.
Is she the girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother’s new husband, Lord Terayama? A lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama’s kitchens? Or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands?
Everyone knows Yue is destined to capture the heart of a prince. Only she knows that she is determined to use his power to destroy Terayama.
And nothing will stop her. Not even love


Set in ancient Asia and using many terms and folklore from Japan and China, it provides a beautiful backdrop for a story full of passion, betrayal, survival and vengence. Suzume's world is turned brutally upside down on her 14th birthday and her journey for survival and revenge is breathtaking. I absolutely loved this story and I desperately hope that Zoe writes a sequel.

Visit Zoe's site: http://www.zoemarriott.com/

The power of six

The power of six by Pittacus Lore - 2011
Book two of the Lorien legacies.

Blurb....
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I’m ready to fight.

Picking up from the ending of 'I am number four'.  this installment has two stories running simulainiously. One, in America on the run with John, Sam, Six and Bernie Kosar and two in a convent/orphanage high in the mountains of Spain where we meet number seven. This book is faced paced and edgier and the ending leaves you wanting more. I'm enjoying this series and I am really looking forward to the next one.



I am number four by Pitticus Lore - 2009

Blurb ....
We were nine, three are dead, I am number four.
Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth … protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies are hunting him down.
The only way to keep off radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Finally in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts – his legacies – stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.
But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it's only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there's no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five …

Visit Pittacus Lore's site: http://iamnumberfourfans.com/the-lorien-legacies/

Ashes

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick - 2011


Book 1 of the Ashes series.

Blurb....
Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

I had no idea what this book as truly about. By reading the blurb I thought OK newbie I'll give it a go. Only a couple of chapters in and I'm thinking oh boy. This must be my first foray into zombieland and I'm still not quite sure what I think about it. When I finished reading this story I checked out the reviews and to see when the next installment comes out as the ending leaves you with a massive cliffhanger, but the reviews were mixed. I definately agree that the first half of the book was fast-paced and edgy, however, the second half seemed to get bogged down and left you wondering what the author has planned. Well the last page gives you the answer. I will read the next book and then I think I will make my mind up to see whether I can read the last. Hmm....